BelFone Narrowband Ad Hoc Network Communication Solution Builds an Intelligent Communication Network for Forestry and Grassland

Background

As a crucial area for global biodiversity conservation and a core corridor for giant panda habitats, Sichuan Giant Panda National Park is characterized by towering mountains, deep valleys, and vast expanses of primeval forest. It shoulders the vital mission of protecting this iconic species and its entire ecosystem. However, the region's rugged terrain and strict ecological protection requirements pose significant communication challenges for routine patrols, forest fire prevention, scientific monitoring, and emergency response. With the nationwide push for "Smart Forestry and Grassland" and the modernization of protected area governance, establishing a private communication network that operates independently of public infrastructure and can withstand harsh, complex environments has become essential infrastructure — one that enhances management efficiency and secures the ecological bottom line of this protected area.

Pain Points

Complex terrain leads to widespread signal blind spots

The park features significant elevation changes and dense vegetation, which hinder radio signal propagation and create large coverage gaps. Patrol officers often lose contact with the command center once they enter remote areas, making it difficult to send or receive instructions.

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Ecological sensitivity restricts traditional infrastructure development

Within this national-level protected area, the construction of traditional base station facilities—such as towers, equipment rooms, and power lines—is heavily restricted. There is also a lack of wired transmission links. Achieving effective coverage while minimizing environmental impact remains a core challenge.

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Emergency response is hindered by communication bottlenecks

In sudden events such as forest fires, geological disasters, or wildlife rescues, the timeliness and reliability of communication directly determine the effectiveness of emergency operations. Existing means cannot quickly establish an on-site command network, resulting in information delays and inefficient dispatch.

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Diverse management operations create urgent communication needs

Modern protected area management is evolving toward integrated applications including voice dispatch, location tracking, short message communication, and emergency alerts. Single-function equipment can no longer meet the needs of integrated smart operations such as patrols, scientific research, and fire prevention.

Solution

To comprehensively enhance the communication capabilities within the park, the Giant Panda National Park administration partnered with BelFone Communications to access a narrowband ad hoc network communication solution. This solution combines BF-TR925R DMR ad hoc Repeater and BP860 professional digital radios, building a resilient private communication network characterized by "decentralized, self-organizing, multi-hop relay" architecture. It supports a wide range of services including voice communication, SMS messaging, location reporting, and visual dispatching, precisely tailored to field patrol and emergency response scenarios.

The solution adopts the combination of Fixed Repeater + Mobile Repeater + Dispatching Platform, achieving park-wide coverage.

Fixed Coverage Layer: BF-TR925R is deployed as fixed ad hoc network base stations at fire lookout towers, key high-ground points, and management stations. This establishes the core routine communication network, enabling long-distance signal relay and connectivity across the entire park.

Mobile Gap Coverage Layer: To address blind spots in canyons, dense forests, and other areas, vehicle-mounted BF-TR925R units are installed on patrol vehicles and emergency command vehicles as mobile nodes. They support both vehicle-mounted and backpack rapid deployment, allowing immediate signal penetration in blind zones during emergencies.

Terminal Application Layer: Patrol staff and emergency responders are uniformly equipped with BP860. These terminals automatically connect to nearby fixed or mobile base stations, enabling frontline information to be transmitted back to the command center in real time.

Dispatch Management Layer: The solution includes the BelFone SDC intelligent dispatch management platform, which provides unified control over all terminals and base stations across the network. The command center can perform real-time, visualized dispatching of voice, location, and alert data, thereby enhancing park-wide collaborative efficiency.

Highlights

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Flexible Networking

The BF-TR925R is compact, lightweight, and supports chain, star, and tree topologies. With auto-self-healing, communication can quickly recover even if some nodes fail. It can be deployed in mountainous or forested areas without equipment rooms, complex links, or large-scale construction.

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Reliable and rugged for harsh environments

Core devices feature advanced encryption (AES256, ARC4) and dynamic key technology to ensure communication security. With IP68 dust/water resistance, shock resistance, and high/low temperature tolerance, they operate stably in high-altitude, heavy wind/rain, high-humidity, and other harsh conditions.

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Intelligent management with comprehensive services

The dispatch management platform supports group voice, SMS, personnel positioning, patrol inspection management, route planning, attendance management, visual dispatching, and remote management. It meets the full range of operational needs for ecological patrol, forest fire prevention, and emergency command.

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Integration of fixed and mobile nodes for routine and emergency complementarity

Fixed relays provide routine park-wide coverage, while mobile relays enable rapid emergency gap-filling, forming a complete communication system that combine regular support with emergency backup.

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Rich terminal features with full-duplex calling

The BP860 radio supports AI noise reduction, emergency alarm, same-frequency relay, and GPS. Its key advantages: ad hoc networking extends range, saves frequencies, and enables rapid deployment. Full-duplex calling allows real-time communication without waiting, ensuring faster response in critical moments.

Value

The successful implementation of BelFone narrowband ad hoc network communication solution has solved the challenge of communication coverage under complex terrain and strict ecological protection requirements, creating a smart communication neural network for the Giant Panda National Park that provides "park-wide coverage in routine times and on-demand access in emergencies." Going forward, BelFone will continue to deepen its focus on forestry and grassland private network communications, empowering the development of smart forestry and grassland through technological innovation, and sustaining communication capabilities for nature conservation efforts.